Category Archives: Rabi’alAwwal 1433

…speculation…

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…there’s a lot of speculation going on about the plans for the Mataf…what is a drilling machine doing in that fenced off area…preparing…studying for which option will be implemented?…some say the decision has already been made…like the massive extension growing by the minute in the courtyard…the Ummah left guessing until work was well under way…Alhumdulillah, one thing is for sure..and that is that the Ottoman arches…which at one stage were doomed…are to remain…

…the general consensus amongst the locals is that the above option is the one to be constructed…Allahu ‘Alum…considering it is the model that is currently part of the Hajj Exhibition at the British Museum, click image for details, probably means the choice has been decided upon…

…the following are designs that apparently have been submitted…neither looking feasible or sturdy or aesthetically compatible to the present Masjid al-Haram…

…the following design is built upon the concept of a temporary removable structure…assembled and disassembled according to the peak seasons…

…maybe time to play with some lego…!…meanwhile audible speculation ripples across the Ummah…

May Allah Ta’ala guide all the decision makers, facilitate ease throughout every stage of whatever changes are to be adopted, bless every soul involved in this project, from inception to completion, and shower an abundance of patience on all pilgrims during the years of disruption, Ameen.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…a spiritual opening…

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…Umm Hani’, the sister of Ali RadhiAllahu anhu, thus our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s cousin lived in her father’s house at approximately this position…

…it was here that Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam came dejected after he had been abused and taunted by several of the Quraysh…Umm Hani’ comforted him and invited him to sleep for the night there…

…narrations vary as to whether Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam ascended on the Buraq from the house, or from the Hijr…

…this is one version from Umm Hani’…after reciting the night prayers he went to sleep. Just before dawn, the Prophet of God awoke us and we all prayed the dawn prayer together. When the prayer was through, he said, “O Umm Hani’, I prayed with you the night prayer in this place; then I went to Jerusalem and I prayed there, and as you see, I have just finished praying with you the dawn prayer.” I answered, “O Prophet of God! do not tell this to the people, for they will belie you and harm you.” He said, “By God, I shall tell them.”

…while Martin Lings in Muhammad, his life based on the earliest sources, describes thus:

On one occasion when they had prayed the night prayer behind the Prophet, Umm Hani invited him to spend the night with them. He accepted her invitation; but after a brief sleep he rose and went to the Mosque, for he loved to visit the Ka’bah during the night hours. While he was there, the desire to sleep came over him again, and he lay down in the Hijr.
“Whilst I was sleeping in the Hijr,” he said, Gabriel came to me and spurred me with his foot whereupon I sat upright, yet I saw nothing and lay down once again. A second time he came; and a third time, and then he took me by the arm and I rose and stood beside him, and he led me out to the gate of the Mosque, and there was the white beast, between a mule and an ass, with wings at his sides wherein he moved his legs; and his every stride was as far as the eye could see.”

…details may differ, but the consensus is that our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam did sleep in his cousin’s house…and that this is the location…and Allah Ta’ala knows best…

…Insha’Allah, may we all be granted spiritual openings and an increased nearness to our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and his Habib SallAllahu alaihi wassalam as we contemplate this moving part of the Seerah and turn our gaze upon the sacredness of places where our glorious history is preserved…Ameen.

…the location of the house of Abu Talib, the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s uncle is almost in a direct line from Rukn Yemeni, the Yemeni Corner of BaituLlah. I have purposefully taken various photos to help identify the position…SubhanAllah the late night visit found this little enclave empty and aglow…leaving us free to be immersed in Ibadah…Shaykh Zulfiqar, may Allah Ta’ala preserve him and continually raise his rank, advises to make Du’a, in this place, to the effect , O Allah this is where you gave Your Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam a physical opening, please bless me with a spiritual opening. Ameen.

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…Makkan metamorphosis…three…

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…a neat row of newly installed fans on the ponderous buttresses of the royal complex…established on what would have been the foothills of the first mountain Allah Ta’ala created, Abu Qubais (along with other significant facts related to Abu Qubais and photos from 2009, and going back further to 2007)

…this area coincides with the outskirts of where the Banu Hashim tribe were…how Mubarak…the vicinity of the first mountain and the birth of the last and final Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…while the entire area surrounding Masjid al-Haram was where Allah Ta’ala chose for so many great ‘firsts’ to happen…Ibrahim Alaihis Salam’s journeying there with his wife Hagar and son Ismail Alaihumaas Salam and their special place in our history and rituals…and all that intervened before so many were chosen to receive the first blessings of Hidayah on this hallowed soil…SubhanAllah!

…now the gaze is dominated by sophisticated machinery digging…moving the bedrock where Islam dawned and eventually flourished…

…where stones were once carried to construct the first BaituLlah…

…to the current times where huge edifices sprout skyward…perched on the very pegs that were made to hold the mountains…increasing the accommodation for the millions being called to Allah Ta’ala’s House…

…the changes seem never ending…

…and will probably never reach any point of completion…

…constant adding and subtracting…pulling down and building up…bigger…higher….grander…

…from the frugal to the opulent…

…from the humble to the extravagant…

…from simplicity to complex…

…dare it be said…from the spiritual to the materialistic…from necessity to indulgence…

…from the modest, unpretentious to competitive haughty boastfulness…

…Insha’Allah we are able to maintain our focus on all that gains Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure and favours as this metamorphosis unfolds…and to steer our hearts firmly onto the noble Sunnah of our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and be constantly in awe of the sacrifices his illustrious Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum made for the Deen…reminding ourselves that they held Deen in their hearts and Dunya in their hands…

…and if what we are witnessing are signs leading us closer and closer to the End of Times may our diligence with our preparations be increased and Du’a for success in Both Worlds be incessant…

…may we be assiduously nurturing our love for our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, especially during these final days of the Mubarak month of his birth…bringing to mind this poignant conversation:

A Bedouin asked the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam about the Hour. He said, “It will surely come to pass. What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have not prepared much in the way of prayer and good works, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “You will be with those you love.” The Muslims had never rejoiced as much they did when they heard this. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

…as all these changes are manifested around our sacred places may our sights be on this very same love the Bedouin expressed and our ultimate destination is with those we love, Ameen…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…Makkan metamorphosis…two…

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…continuing with your virtual tour of the rapid changing scenes of Makkah al-Mukarramah…

…agreed…these ancient alleyways are in a state of decadence and crumbling…but such stories are concealed within the decaying bricks and mortar…

…years of pilgrims treading crowded dusty lanes…back and forth…back and forth…

…back and forth to Masjid al-Haram…haggling with traders…surviving on the simplest of meals…

…this food outlet, and the one below, were still, surprisingly, operating in this deserted quarter…

…the Jabal Omar project rises in the background…with the corner of the Hilton and then Darul Taqwa to the right…

…this used to be the main thoroughfare from Ibrahim Khalil Road to Haram…

…now reduced to a narrow precarious track lined with rubble…

…and all the recyclable items from what was once a thriving hotel…

…strangely enough, the ‘home’ of one of the regular homeless brothers is still in use…he for the moment the one constant amongst all the changes around his ‘home’…

…a ‘Magritte’ moment…

…vacant…hundreds of rooms…empty…hollow shells…

…all to the left also empty hollow shells…as work continues on the back section of one of the Abraj al-Bayt towers…

…this is a building site tucked in between hotels that are still operating in the Ajyad area…

…a massive excavation with older, functioning structures teetering along the rim of of the site…people would walk along that pathway to the right to access that central white building…these are now the cheaper options for those who cannot afford the hefty rentals for the more modern rooms…

…and the same on the left of this gaping cavern…

…amazing…what tales could this wall tell…so many fascinating patchwork additions…

…and the same for this section of patterned brick work which was a traditional style with spaces for the air to flow…

…such labourers are the heroes of all the developments…may Allah Ta’ala bless them all and their families and raise them to the highest of stations in His Garden, Ameen…

…how long before these once grand places are reduced to rubble and replaced with glamour and glitz…at rate affordable only to the rich…YA RABB YA LATEEF YA WADUD!!!!

…this is what will emerge from that huge granite pit…

…Insha’Allah, continued in next post…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…Makkan metamorphosis…one…

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…the changes are massive…no photographs could convey the extent of the demolitions…hundreds of buildings, thousands of potential rooms for pilgrims gone…gone before alternatives are ready…hard not to question such decisions…Insha’Allah the next few posts will attempt to cover some of the destruction and some of the construction, with minimal words…the area that is in the process of being demolished is al-Misfalah…a huge wedge beginning between Darul Taqwa, Hilton and Abraj al-Bayt and extending way back away from Haram…the first two photos are of the newly renovated Elaf Kinda…tucked directly behind Abraj al-Bayt…

…during the previous visit to Makkah al-Mukarramah it was thought the work being carried out was preparing it for demolition…but it was totally gutted and now ‘born anew’…maybe this is the fate of many of the following, what seem structurally sound buildings seen being stripped of everything but the skeletal walls…Allahu ‘Alum…

…looking towards Haram with the Elaf Kinda to the right and the side of one of the Abraj towers to its right…Hilton on the left…this bridge marks the beginning of the demolitions…

…some hotels remain standing but are devoid of all internal features and are merely a shell…

…stripped bare…

…even relatively newer buildings…and what of the smaller masaajid that are tucked away in this area??

…some businesses are trying to remain functional for as long as they can…this used to be hub of activity for pilgrims to purchase gifts…and one of the few places for simple food outlets…the sad trend promotes the expensive franchises of fast food companies…

…a ceiling stripped of every conceivable piece of wiring and ducting…

…a sleeping homeless man…

…rubble, rubbish and rats…

…side by side…the demise of one shop next to another determined to seek any last remaining customers…

…establishments displaying whatever could be salvaged for sale…

…the rising new framed by remnants of the old…

…one of the several hotels we have stayed in…empty…

…on and on are vacant ghost like places…

…a film of dust already veiling Haram…imagine how it will be once these hundreds of buildings crumble…people with breathing problems are staying away…

…the contrast…the condemned with the lavish skyscrapers taking over…

…one wonders if any of these older style buildings may be restored so future generations may at least see an example of how some older Makkah styles were…

…many of the features are worth saving for their unique craftsmanship…I have seen such carving painted and used as a wall feature…beautiful…

Our Beloved Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them. (Bukhari)

And: The Day of Judgement has come close, and mankind will only increase their desire for this world, and they will only go farther and farther away from Allah.

He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would make this Du’a:
O Allah! I seek your refuge from the evils of the fitnah of wealth, and the evils of the fitnah of poverty.

Both poverty and wealth are fitnahs — ways by which Allah tries and tests us…may Allah Ta’ala save and guide us, and bless the Haramain, and bless the Haramain, and bless the Haramain, Ameen…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…glow of emanation…

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…tangible and truly felt in the deep recesses of the heart…the lucidity blinds the soul…the glow of emanation exists…regardless of what is happening in and around this Mubarak place of the miraculous birth…and regardless of what some try to deny…

The Prophet, upon him be peace, was born on Monday 12th Rabial-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant corresponding to 22nd April 571 CE. He was born in his father’s house at the edge of the Banu Hashim district. After the Prophet’s migration to Madina, the house passed to his cousin ‘Aqil bin Abu Talib and then to his children. It stayed in the family until it was sold to Muhammad bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi. When al-Khayzuran, the wife of the Abbasid Khalifa al-Mahdi and mother of Khalifas Harun al-Rashid and al-Hadi, performed the pilgrimage, she instructed its owners to convert it to a mosque, In addition to the regular prayer, it was a place for reading the story of the birth of the Prophet, upon him be peace and his Sira, biography.
I was a square building with two pillars, ten windows, two doors and a prayer niche. The prayer niche was made of green marble enclosed in silver. Near the prayer niche was a small concave indicating the actual spot where the noble birth took place.
It has been rebuilt several times including by al-Nasir in 586H (1190 CE)and Malik al-Muzafar in 666H (1267 CE). It was destroyed by the authorities but after discussions between Shaykh Abbas al-Qattan, the mayor of Makka and King Abdul Aziz, a library was built in its place to preserve the sanctity of the site. The buildings surrounding the house were knocked down during the recent expansions of the Haram and it now stand alone at the edge of the marble plaza that surrounds the Holy Mosque precinct, not far from the Salam and Bani Hashim doors.

From Guide to Visiting Makka and Madina (also here)

…time spent in contemplation and Muraqabah was Spring’s gift…the outer gaze aware of seekers arriving just be bathe in this glow…only to be told…no, no. no…and a gentle pat on the back to move them along…Alhumdulillah the supposed addition of sisters to the ‘vice squad’ is yet to be a reality…supposedly they are still in training…heaven forbid any lingering…there is ‘no proof’…how sadly bereft of love…

…by squinting the gaze one could be forgiven thinking all the additional banners and red lights flashing are decoration for Rabi’al Awwal…Alhumdulillah for the imagination…

…and for LOVE…for LOVE…for LOVE…

…this group of Sri Lankan lovers were under the impression that entrance to the library was via the new ‘headquarters’ for distributing leaflets, books and literature in various languages emphasizing all that is Bid’ah…

…the room is staffed with members of the ‘vice squad’ along with police to assist with those who may not willingly move on when told…they were kept very busy…

…demolition continues just beyond the Mubarak Birth Place…exposing the ruggedness and steepness of the mountain it nestles beneath…

…how many centuries of people have been blessed to live looking down upon such a glow…a view that would long ago have encompassed the Ka’aba and the numerous historic homes of the giants of our Deen…and the house of our Lady Khadijah, RadhiAllahu anha…

…what footsteps this very mountain may have witnessed…maybe Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, RadhiAllahu anhum, as children, scampered and played as boys do…the imagination stretches to the days when our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was a shepherd…did he ever take his flock over this mountain top…did this lead to where he used to come down from with the intention of attending social gatherings…but on each occasion he fell asleep as he approached houses where there was music playing…historians saying that the temptations of Makkah had no power over the disciplined soul of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, whose sole concern, even in his youth, was contemplation…his greatest spiritual pleasure was that of beholding the beauty of the Universe and responding to its invitation to ponder and to admire…SubhanAllah!

…the glow of emanation suffuses this whole area…and when one stills all but the throbbing of the heart for his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s LOVE, that very glow brightens any darkness and dims all Batil…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…in the place of refuge my heart sought refuge…

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In the place of refuge my heart sought refuge,

shot with enmity’s arrows.

O Mercy of Allah for His slaves!

Allah placed His trust in you

out of all inanimate forms.

O House of my Lord, O light of my heart,

O coolness of my eyes, O my heart within,

O true secret of the heart of existence,

my sacred trust, my purest love!

O direction to which I turn

from every quarter and valley,

From subsistence in the Real, then from the height,

from self extinction, then from the depths!

O Ka’aba of Allah, O my life.

O path of good fortune, O my guidance,

In you has Allah placed every safety

from fear of disaster upon the great Return.

In you does the noble Station [of Ibrahim] flourish,

in you are found the fortunes of Allah’s slaves.

In you is the Right Hand that my sin has draped

in the robe of blackness.

Multazam is in you, he who clings to love for it,

will be saved on the Day of Mutual Cries.

Souls passed away longing for Her,

in the pain of longing and distant separation.

In sorrow at the news she has put on

the garment of mourning.

Allah sheds His light on her court,

and something of His light appears in the heart.

None sees it but the sorrowful

whose eyes are dark from the lack of sleep.

He circumambulates seven times after seven,

from the beginning of night until the call to prayer.

Hostage to endless sadness, he is never seen

but bound to effort.

I heard him call upon Allah and say,

beside the Black Stone:

“O my heart!

Our night has quickly passed,
but the goal of my love has not passed!”

Ibn ‘Arabi in al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya from Gibril Fouad Haddad’s “From the Two Holy Sanctuaries”

…in the place of refuge my heart sought refuge…

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.